SEMA 2014: Weld Racing and Ford Racing Team Up For King Cobra

What happens when you throw the Ford Racing catalog at a 2015 Mustang GT? You get the King Cobra, the brainchild of Ford Racing Director, Jamie Allison. While the looks may be a little on the far-fetched side, and even controversial to some, this car has the power to back it up.

The King Cobra was the first 2015 Mustang to run a 10-second ET. It’s the black supercharged 2015 Mustang GT in the Ford Racing video we brought to our readers at the end of September. This car features a Ford/ROUSH supercharger making 625 hp, as well as a full stainless steel exhaust system, all new Ford Racing rear half-shafts, a Ford Racing Handling Pack, short throw shifter, and rear subframe kit with upgraded bushings. All of these parts are available from the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog. “This car has all the bells and whistles, we put together everything we had and then styled the car to take it over the top,” says Ford Racing’s Jesse Kershaw.

Kershaw says, “We really wanted to do a car that represented Ford Racing and had that wow factor for SEMA. In the past we’ve brought plenty of great performing cars, but we haven’t had something that drew this kind of attention.”

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We really wanted to do a car that represented Ford Racing and had that wow factor for SEMA. In the past we’ve brought plenty of great performing cars, but we haven’t had something that drew this kind of attention. -Jessie Kershaw, Ford Racing

Taking center stage in the most prominent display at SEMA takes more than just a plain wrapper. So an internal team at Ford came up with the snake skin hood graphic and body wrap. The colors and shapes are reminiscent on the pattern on a snake’s body. The wrap is even textured, making the car’s skin feel like a giant snake.

Ford Racing teamed up with Weld Racing to provide high a high quality product for the King Cobra project that would allow the car to run a 10-second ET, on a wheel that was not only lightweight, but capable of accomplishing this task safely.

The 18-inch fronts that clear the six-piston Perfomance Pack Brembo calipers and 15-inch rotors, an industry first. 17-inch Beadlock rear wheels are wrapped in new Mickey Thompson ET Street R tires. According to Kershaw this is the first set of the all new ET Street R tires, and the first set that’s been tested on a drag strip. “I’m told those are the first two that came out of the mold, and the second two are in the Mickey Thompson booth, so that’s pretty awesome to be the first.”

The wheels are a one-off custom set of Weld Racing RT-S S75. According to Weld Racing Marketing VP, Chris Bovis, “These wheels take all the very best of our beadlock technology, and applies it to the RT-S product line.” This is a conversion that is offered from Weld.

The front wheels are unique as well. They’re designed specifically to clear the six-piston 15-inch front brakes on the performance pack. Everything is forged with these wheels, and tested in house by Weld Racing.